Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-05-12
A BrahnHin Tradition.

AnAClNo HE OhlIiN OF THE WHITE NAN TO ENG.
LAND.
From the San Francisco Chronicle
VI all european nations the Brahmins have
signallzed the English alone with doubtful COM
pifment, for there Is eXtant a tradition among
them that certain Brahmfn sages visited. in the
dim long ago, England, and there created white
men, whom they called Gandhnas, or God-fearing
men, but ultimately these sages became disguised
with the ancient BritOnS ON account OF their
keeping pariahs as servants. The learned Brah-
min who told me Of this tradition failed however
TO inform me who created the pariah or human
PEI psaag pr OF low degree. So particular are
their caste that the richer community only en-
pioy bereayed Brahmin widows or their poor rela-
ttveS for the execution Of their household duties
and it must be said that no matter how seryiit
may be the position OF a Brahmin in a Brahmin
household, no insult Is given, but the servitor is
The lot OF the HindOO widow Is not happy one
for the law prevents her from again entering the
marriage state, and, therefore, she is often COM
PEELED 10 work for her livelihood The Brahmini:al
law so arbitrary In other respects Is not the less
here. Widows are compelled to wear white to
always keep their heads shaved and covered. hut
the dhofi form OF dress is preserved and even the
doubtful pleasure OF taking SNUFF is withheld from
them.
woman in South India is env1abie to that OF her
sister in North India. Though she is not reoa rded
as an equal she is little better than ciiatlel.
The average HndOO mind cannot receive woman
as human beng possessed OF soul and senslblIITy
Though she influences the aspirations of her chill
dren, shapes their deStinieS, yet she Is withheld
from sharing their triumphS or their pleasures
Feelings akin to pity arise in the English
breast. or rather Indignation, as when passing
through the native villages, he sees engaged i1
on the ground before their houses enjoy in the
cool OF the eventide the songs OF the Wander
ing minstrel or the latest marvel from the Inns of
the professional StOry-teller 1t is repOrted tnat
the most cruel in their treatment or the women
are the lengaTS, who claim for themselves more
than ordinary attributes. The European Is to him
no less an OBJECT OF contempt than a pariah, and
Wheh the iehgar talks with Griffin (aS newly
arrived Engishman in India is called} he does NOT
show his disdain, for faStidiOus Branmns. when
they speak TO a Sudra or European are accus-
toned TO place their hand on the stomach and
catching the holy thread present the back or the
hand to the person addressed and at the close of
the conversation, by rotary motion, they display
the palm. To those who choose to regard this "a
an insult il is such.
The Brahmn is bundle of extraordinary con-
tradictiOns. Witness him buying load of wood
from parfah. He halls the unrOrtunaIe creature
who. sitting down on his bundle edges away while
the Brahmln examines IL. The Brahmin then
moves away. The pariah approaches the WOOD
and with his hands before his mouth lest his
breath touch the person OF the august purchaser
ne concludes the sale. No pariah uses the public
hfghWay mace 0y British money and under British
min youth are beset from their birth with tedious
restrictions; the dignity OF their race and their
own dignity Is theme which never tires with
their parents. Perhaps their only luxury is that
OF taking snun, and in this even the law Inter-
IeFes ana lays DOWN q certain age when they may
begin; TO a bachelor this pleasure Is prohibited:
snu1-taking can only begin with matrimony.